Response from FLD Landscaping & Garden Shop
As this situation has been discussed extensively through the Better Business Bureau, we have very detailed records and can give a full account of this client's complaint and our response to it. On June 29, 2012, FLD conducted a free irrigation inspection on the (Remove member name) property. The system had been there when they bought the property and appeared to be about 25 years old based on its condition and the original parts used. It was very large, requiring two controllers. We could not determine if it had been professionally installed or put in by the previous homeowner. The system was connected to a well and the pump was no longer working, so the determination was made to attach the system to the city water supply rather than replacing the pump. This was far from the only problem with the system. We came out on August 17 and performed extensive repairs to pipes, valves, and heads. We ran and adjusted all zones. We came out again on September 5 to service the two controllers, add some risers and a drip station, and perform some minor repairs like cleaning out valves. These two visits were billed at $352.94 and $517.06, respectively, according to the labor and materials used. They were both paid with no mention of any problems at the tap. On February 28, 2013, FLD came back out to discuss some landscaping work the client was considering. (Remove member name)discussed a few other leaks he had discovered in the piping, as well as some other additions and changes he was considering having done to the irrigation. At no time during this visit, over six months after our initial work, did he make mention of any leak or other issue with the tap. He did mention his water bill being high, but this was to be expected as he had previously not had this very large system attached to city water at all. Our next contact with the client was on June 4, 2013, when (Remove member name) asked our irrigation supervisor to come out the next day to discuss more repairs. Our supervisor had several service calls to perform and could not promise he could make it but said he would try. He became ill the next day and did not make it to the client's home. He also forgot to call to schedule a different time, which he should have done. The client called on June 14 to complain and we apologized for the oversight. This conversation was the first mention the client made of a leak at the tap. On June 18, FLD called and scheduled an appointment with (Remove member name) for July 1. During this conversation, he said that the leak at the tap was our fault and he wanted us to fix it at no charge. We discussed it and told him that we would make a visit at no charge to check the tap and determine the problem, but that we couldn't commit to doing the repair for free if it did not prove to be a result of faulty work. We tried to explain that, due to the age and condition of the system, we couldn't assume blanket responsibility for future issues without knowing if we were at fault. The tap was not leaking when installed and there had been no sign of trouble for months after the work was done, so it was possible that a nearby pipe break was making it appear to be a problem with the tap. There was simply no way of knowing without a diagnostic visit, which we'd be happy to do at no charge. The client became upset and responded, "So you're not going to fix the leak you didn't fix?" We again tried to explain to him what we were offering, but he said only that he would be reporting us to the Better Business Bureau and then hung up. The subsequent BBB complaint requested that FLD refund the entire amount of all previous repairs, most of which had nothing to do with the tap in question. It also requested reimbursement of a $400 water bill and an additional $630 for unknown reasons. We found these terms to be wholly unreasonable and made multiple attempts through the BBB to resolve the matter in a more reasonable manner. We got back in touch with (Remove member name) beginning in November of 2013 to attempt to schedule a service appointment. He was agreeable to meeting in early December. But four subsequent attempts in December to actually schedule the appointment went unanswered. We have not heard from the Mitchells again until (Remove member name) posted this review on Angie's List. At FLD, we go out of our way to be conscientious and forthright with our clients. We stand behind our work and we admit our fault when we have done something wrong. It is painful to see the reputation we have built for 25 years being called into question by an unsatisfied client, but I hope our recounting of the details of this situation make it clear that we truly did everything in our power to resolve this matter with fairness and integrity.